Mount Mary: turning challenges into opportunities

Mount Mary was one of the quickest Yarra Valley wineries to move against phylloxera, its first grafted block planted in 2003.

Highly rated: the reviewed wines

All the wineries of Margaret River and the Yarra Valley were established by families over a similar timeframe. The first 10 wineries appeared from 1967 to 1975 in the former, and in the latter from 1962 to 1972. These dates come from the Halliday Wine Companion database, which runs to 2019 for each region, with moving totals of 169 wineries for the Yarra, and 171 for Margaret River. Cullen Wines and Mount Mary both have 1971 as their establishment date; both continue to be family-owned and run with very similar views and practices, acutely aware of their environment and the need for sustainability.

Today I look at Mount Mary, and one major point of difference. Western Australia and South Australia have remained free of the destructive root-feeding phylloxera, whereas Victoria has a number of infected regions. The Yarra Valley is such a region, but was free of phylloxera until September 2006. Like cancer it can progress slowly, undiagnosed.

The viticultural answer first used in France in the late 1880s, after the vineyards of France and Europe were ravaged, was grafting each vine onto American rootstock immune to phylloxera. Mount Mary was one of the quickest Yarra Valley wineries to move, its first grafted block planted in 2003. It now has 50 per cent of the vineyard so planted, with an average age of 10-15 years, taking the opportunity to introduce grenache, shiraz and mourvèdre (for a red blend) and marsanne, roussanne and clairette (white blend).

Third-generation Sam Middleton carries on the work started by the revered Dr John Middleton, making the winery self-sufficient for electricity, eliminating herbicides, moving to the elimination of synthetic fungicides and towards carbon neutral across the business. He’s turning challenges into opportunities, taking nothing for granted.

2020 Mount Mary Yarra Valley Triolet

A 62/28/10% blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle. Barrel fermented and matured for 11 months in used barriques. The wine’s balance guarantees complexity; green apple, pear and lemon citrus intermingle on an already generous palate. 13% alc, screwcap 95 points, drink to 2035, $105

2020 Mount Mary Yarra Valley Chardonnay

Four clones, hand-picked, fermented and matured in French oak (30% new) for 11 months. Typically refined and elegant, but not stand-offish, the length built around natural acidity and citrus zest. Oak is part of the upbringing, but discreet; the wine has a very long plateau ahead. 13.3% alc, screwcap 97 points, drink to 2040, $120

2020 Mount Mary Yarra Valley Pinot Noir

Intense optical scanning of every berry by sorting tables and Oscillys; matured in French oak (25% new) for 16 months. Radiant clear crimson. All the red berries of forest and field fill the bouquet and the strikingly fresh palate, which expands on the peacock’s tail finish. 13.3% alc, cork 97 points, drink to 2035, $165